Non-calcined ZrO2 sol-coated hollow glass fibre membrane: Preparation, microstructure, and dye separation

Abstract In this work, a hollow glass fibre membrane was prepared and coated with a ZrO2 sol by dip coating. The ZrO2 sol coating adhered to the pristine membrane through interfacial interactions, as determined by FTIR spectroscopy and XPS analyses. The N2 adsorption-desorption curves indicated that the pores of the pristine and coated membranes formed by the accumulation of glass powder and ZrO2 sol layers, as determined from the H1 and H4 hysteresis loops, respectively. Thin and dense coating layers were observed on the surface of the coated membranes. Contact angle measurements showed that the hydrophilicity of the coated membranes remained almost constant. Furthermore, compared with the pristine membrane, the coated membranes exhibited higher rejection. The water flux and rejection varied within a narrow range even when separation was performed using the coated membrane for 12 h. The coated membrane with long-term stability demonstrates a good application prospect for highly efficient wastewater treatment.